Wedge-Locked Filter Element for Damage-Free Air Cleaner Servicing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air filtration devices face challenges in easy and damage-free removal of filter media, which becomes laden with particulates, leading to increased pressure differential and decreased engine efficiency, often requiring cleaning or replacement.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a filter element with wedge elements and receivers in the housing that facilitate easy insertion and removal, along with a sealing mechanism to ensure an air-tight fit, and a precleaner to remove larger particles, enhancing the ease of servicing without damaging components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the filter element is made easily removable for servicing, then the ease of operation is improved, but the risk of damaging components during removal increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter assembly is divided into separable components: the filter element and the housing with cover. The cover can be removed independently from the housing, allowing the filter element to be accessed and removed without damaging the housing or other components. This segmentation enables easy servicing while protecting other parts from damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover acts as an intermediary component between the housing and the filter element. By providing a removable cover, the design allows the filter element to be easily accessed and removed without directly exposing the housing or other internal components to damage during the servicing process.
2Productivity
If the filter media is cleaned or replaced frequently, then the engine efficiency is maintained, but the loss of time for servicing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter element is designed with self-contained features including an integrated handle and removable cover that allow the filter to be easily serviced by the operator without requiring specialized tools or complex procedures. This self-service design reduces the time required for filtering maintenance while ensuring engine efficiency is maintained through regular servicing.
3Reliability
If the filter housing includes appendages for secure fit, then the reliability of sealing is improved, but the ease of manufacture and assembly decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing mechanism is segmented into distinct components: the housing with integrated receivers and the separate cover with corresponding protrusions. This segmentation allows for simple manufacturing of individual parts while ensuring reliable sealing through the interlocking receiver-protrusion mechanism during assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is extracted into a separate cover component that can be independently manufactured and assembled. This extraction simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing the cover to be produced separately with precise sealing features, while still ensuring reliable sealing when assembled with the housing.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A filter element (20) may include first and second pairs of opposing walls (56, 58) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) of the filter element. The first and second pairs of opposing walls may create a flow passage between an inlet end (60) and an outlet end (62) of the filter element. The filter element may further include filter media (64) configured to separate particulates from air flowing through the flow passage, and a wedge element (66) associated with an exterior surface of at least one of the first pair of opposing walls. The wedge element may be configured to cooperate with an interior surface (46) of a filter housing (18) configured to receive the filter element. Outlet edges of the opposing walls of the first pair of opposing walls may extend at a first oblique angle (α) with respect to the longitudinal axis, and the wedge element may extend at a second oblique angle (β) with respect to the longitudinal axis.